Deputy DM: Iran to provide armed forces with most advanced weapons

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Deputy Defense Minister for Logistics, Research and Industrial Affairs Brigadier General Mehdi Farahi underlined the country’s plans to equip the Armed Forces with more state-of-the-art weapons to increase their preparedness for any possible aggression.

“Today, after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, despite the cruel sanctions and severe restrictions imposed against our country by the enemies and the world arrogant powers, thanks God, advanced and fully indigenized defensive equipment have been built as a result of the industrious efforts made by Iranian experts, and they will be delivered to the Armed Forces,” General Farahi said in Tehran on Monday.

“On-time delivery of products and their high quality is the most important principle in the defense ministry for manufacturing equipment and we are powerfully entering the global markets,” he added.

Farahi referred to Iran’s achievements in aerospace and aviation fields, and said, “Today, in the aviation industry, all planes are overhauled with the best quality and at present different drones are also built by the (Iranian) defense industries.”

Tehran launched an arms development program during the 1980-88 Iraqi imposed war on Iran to compensate for a US weapons embargo.

Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and fighter planes.

Yet, Iranian officials have always stressed that the country’s military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.

In relevant remarks in 2013, Supreme Leader’s Advisor for Military Affairs General Seyed Reza Pardis said Iran is able to produce a number of weapons and military equipment which are more advanced than their western rivals.

“The Air Force has succeeded in the production of certain weapons and equipment which are more advanced than the western models,” Pardis told FNA.

“The path paved by the Air Force towards self-sufficiency is highly valuable and production of airplanes, (jet) engines and designing planes were some heavy and high-class projects in which we have succeeded,” he added.